Without sounding disrespectful....... Are you sure it just wasn't you that could not do it? Never happened to me in a Lightning but I've landed successfully in several craft not having wingtip's. (262, P47m, 109k4)
No question that my 38 flying is suspect, but in years of breaking 38s, I've never kept one in the air controllable with no wingtips or ailerons before. Considering I've scattered more cartoon 38 parts then any 5 cartoon 38 pilots combined, it was a surprise when it kept flying.
I know 262 guys have done it, but I've never run across it in our cartoon AH 38 til now